52 suspects killed in Iraq ops over past week

[unhappycamper]

52 suspects killed in Iraq ops over past week
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Oct 10, 2007 15:23:52 EDT

BAGHDAD — U.S. troops targeting al-Qaida in Iraq have killed at least 52 suspected insurgents and detained 47 over the past week, the military said Wednesday.

Operations targeting al-Qaida safe havens in the Diyala River Valley northeast of the capital, which started last Thursday and ended Sunday, resulted in 37 militants killed and 25 detained, the military said.

The operations included numerous contacts with insurgents. Several weapons caches were also uncovered and destroyed, including ammunition, sniper-rifle parts, grenades, mines, blasting caps, mortar systems, anti-tank weapons, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and improvised explosive device-making materials.

During the multiple-day operations in Diyala, air strikes destroyed five al-Qaida in Iraq safe houses, including a building used for al-Qaida’s surveillance of U.S. troop positions.

The U.S. military also said that 14 insurgents were killed and 12 detained in four separate raids Tuesday and Wednesday targeting al-Qaida hideouts in central parts of the country.

In an operation Wednesday that pursued a top suspect implicated in car bombing networks in western Baghdad, support military aircraft was engaged to kill 13 of the suspects, one of whom was wearing a suicide vest, the military said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_iraqraids_071010/